the first time ever I saw your face
by xroyalklarolinex
Summary: Chronicles eight times Klaus saw Caroline over the years and the one time she saw him. (a klaroline drabble)


**1.) _February 14, 2010_**

He couldn't believe it when he got the call. Five hundred years he'd been waiting for this day. According to one of his many contacts, the Petrova doppelgänger had finally resurfaced. His source said her name was Elena Gilbert and that she lived in the town nearest where he and his family lived as children. He should have guessed she'd show up in the place that had started it all.

His informant hadn't been able to get a picture, so Klaus decided to do some research of his own. Typing in "Elena Gilbert Mystic Falls" into his laptop, the first thing to pop up was a video titled "Miss Mystic Falls Pageant 2010." One by one he watched as each girl was introduced as they came down a set of stairs. He found the entire thing rather monotonous. If this girl was some beauty queen who finds purpose in walking around in a long dress spouting on about helping the world then he really would find more pleasure in killing her than he had thought possible. This entire pageant just seemed so… human.

"Miss Caroline Forbes and her escort Jeffrey Lockwood Hamilton," the announcer on the video said as a beautiful blonde in a bright green dress descended the staircase.

His eyes were instantly glued to the blonde. As much as he despised these sorts of events and the obnoxious humanity of it all, he couldn't help but be intrigued. There was a light in her eyes that looked like it could bring men to their knees. Her smile was one of royalty. Kind yet confident. Yet somehow, he could sense that there was a ruthlessness to her. A need to be the best at all things – which was something he could easily relate to.

Before he could think about the blonde for a second longer, he'd reached the moment he'd waited half a century for. Ah yes, the spitting image of Tatia. He'd been foolish to let Katerina out of his sight the last time he was this close to becoming what he was destined to be. He was sure it wouldn't happen again.

With that, he buried all thoughts of the beautiful blonde he'd just seen. There were more important things to think of.

* * *

 **2.) _April 26, 2010_**

He was beginning to think using Alaric's body was a mistake. He'd been the easiest person to pick off in the entourage that Elena surrounded herself with, but impersonating this man came with quite high demands to keep up believability. He found himself having to listen to the whining of the doppelganger's friends, date Elena's incredible naïve aunt, and, to top it all off, he now had to spend his day surrounded by teenagers teaching world history. Not that Klaus didn't know all about the subject, but to spend an hour talking about the 1960's only to repeat the entire lecture again 4 more times was quite exhausting.

That is until he reached 3rd period.

He heard her before he saw her. The blonde from the pageant. Upon further research into the doppelganger's life, it turns out that the girl's name was Caroline, and she happened to be one of Elena's best friends. He'd been so caught up in his meticulous planning for the ceremony that he'd forgotten all about his intrigue for the small-town pageant queen that had a smile that could lead nations.

"I have a hair appointment right after school. I still haven't decided if I want to wear the hat or not," she rambled to a classmate as she strolled into the room.

She sat at the third desk back in the middle row. He couldn't help but fixate on her as he began his ranting about how the 60's were quite boring and how the only good part was the Beatles.

"Wow, Rick, I always pictured you as an Elvis Presley or Bob Dylan kind of guy," she answered back with a laugh. It wasn't until she saw the rest of the class look at her funny that she added, "I mean, Mr. Saltzman," trying to shrug off that her and the teacher were on a first name basis.

He had to hold back a laugh himself. "I mean, I find Elvis to be a bit overrated. Bob Dylan is good though. But the Beatles' White Album was unmatched and is quite possibly one of the best albums of all time."

"Wasn't that the album where they were all on drugs?" she retorted back.

"Back then, everyone was on drugs."

He was surprised at how much he enjoyed speaking to her. Almost as if he wanted to share with her all the bits of knowledge he'd picked up over the years. As he focused in on her and her big blue eyes and wistful smile, he noticed something he hadn't expected. She didn't have a heartbeat.

She was a vampire.

How had he not known before now? He wondered how or when she had turned. To still be best friends with Elena, her transition had to of been recent.

He quickly snapped out of his daze as he reminded himself that it didn't matter what she was. Because regardless of her doe eyes and bright smile, he was going to go through with this sacrifice that would kill her best friend. And baby vampire or not, if it came to it, he'd kill her too.

* * *

 **3.) _August 31, 2010_**

He was sure this was it. He'd finally done it. Finally found a way to create more hybrids. The Lockwood boy would be the first of many. He'd finally have a pack. A family of his own. One that would owe him everything and would love him and serve him. Not betray him and let him down the way his family always had.

He waltzed into the chemistry classroom to find his transitioning hybrid not expecting to find such a pleasant surprise waiting for him in the form of Caroline Forbes.

Unlike the past two times he'd seen her, this was different. No longer did her face shine with a light smile and bright eyes. Instead it was replaced with worry and a hint of fear.

Bent over the werewolf, she looked up at him as he walked through the door. In her eyes was confusion then realization followed by terror.

This was the first time she'd seen his face. Knowing that he was responsible for terrorizing her friends. He was the villain in her story.

He was the big bad wolf coming to steal her prince charming. He wanted to pull her aside and tell her that his actions towards her friends hadn't been personal, but coming from a stranger, he assumed that would only scare her more.

So, he did what he always did when he felt emotions he didn't want to feel. He buried them. Covered them with violence and bloodshed so that maybe someday they would never resurface.

Besides, this girl was nothing more than a pretty distraction for him. An unnecessary distraction. Much like the artwork he admired in his favorite museums, she caught his eye and filled his mind with fantasies, but she could be nothing more than that – just a pretty picture.

* * *

 **4.) _October 22, 2010_**

She's not coming. He felt sure of it.

It's been almost two weeks since he'd seen her. Since he saved her life. He didn't know what it was but when it came to her, he was like a moth to a flame. Everything about her entertained him. She was his complete opposite. Young. Pure. Hopeful. And yet there was a darkness in her. Hidden deep below the cool exterior she wore around her friends. But he knew that she wasn't ready to face that part of herself. Not yet.

More than anything, he wished he didn't have to be at this party right now. The only thing that made the thought of being here bearable was the thought of being here with her. So, he did what any man courting a woman would do. He left her a gift, inviting her to join him with a dress that would highlight the blue in her eyes.

Now standing here in the middle of his foyer, he had a knot in his stomach over the very real possibility that she would blow him off.

He tried passing the time by entertaining the advances of some local journalist his mother invited. He was in the middle of a story about his time in Australia when he felt the air in the room shift.

The smell of her perfume registered to him immediately. She came. For him. With the dress he gave her.

He watched as she glided into the room. On her face, he saw apprehension and doubt. She didn't realize that when she entered, everyone else in the room seemed to blur.

After what felt like hours of looking at her, she caught his gaze. Instantly she buried whatever nerves she'd had seconds before. What remained was only confidence and grace.

He was enchanted.

After offering her a greeting once she reached him, she practically floated right through him deciding that the champagne was more deserving of her company.

Watching her leave, he realized one very important thing. He was way out of his league.

* * *

 **5.) _April 9, 2011_**

He just needed one glimpse. That's what he told himself.

He had no intention of letting her even know he was there. He just had to be sure she had a wonderful night.

A year ago, if you would have told him that he would have been playing fairy godmother to a high school beauty queen's prom then he would have called you crazy.

But when Caroline showed up earlier that day asking for his help, how could he possibly turn her down? Of course, he'd known that Tyler was on his way back into town before he'd even made it to Virginia. Klaus told himself that he'd give the boy a day pass to make her happy, but deep down he knew that he never had any intention of killing his last remaining hybrid. The reasons for which came down to one small thing: he'd lose Caroline for good. He wasn't ready for that. Not now. Not ever. So, he bit his tongue while she wasted her time on a boy who would never appreciate her the way she deserved.

Standing outside the windows of the Lockwood mansion, he couldn't help but be transfixed by the woman on the other side. Dressed in a gown he'd collected on a trip to France in the 1940's. Everything about her was regal.

There was a lightness to her that he hadn't seen from her in a while. The fire that usually shined behind her eyes, was calm and steady. She looked happy.

That's all he'd ever wanted for her.

It was then that he realized what he knew she'd known all along. That there isn't a thing in the world he wouldn't do for this girl.

* * *

 **6.) _November 30, 2025_**

It happened in flashes. One second, he saw the man he'd just killed fall to the floor. The next, he saw a flash of blonde and felt himself being thrown against the wall with a hand around his throat. Then, finally, he felt a smile travel across his lips, subconsciously, as he stared into the eyes that he'd dreamt about for the last 15 years.

Is that what this was? A dream?

How could she be here right now?

He hadn't heard from her in 11 years. Nevertheless, he'd kept up with her. He always had.

She now ran a school for gifted children, his daughter being one of them. She'd almost married Alaric before changing her mind and marrying Stefan. After which, he promptly sacrificed himself for his brother – shocker. She had two daughters of her own now. He was sure that motherhood suited her. Caring for others always came so naturally to her.

In the years since being parted from his siblings, two things kept him sane: killing off his list of possible enemies and watching over her – despite the distance. Of course, he'd never let her know that.

But seeing her now. In the flesh. It felt like coming up for air. All the questions and heartache and troubles that filled his head just felt easier in her presence.

But just because she was here, sure didn't mean she was running into his arms asking to be whisked away to all his favorite places, like he's secretly wished for since the moment he met her.

He could tell she was the same Caroline she'd always been. Confident and fiery and compassionate beyond measure. The past few years, he'd been a shell. All actions and no feelings. It was the easiest way to be apart from everyone he'd ever loved. And sure enough, within minutes of her being back in his life, he felt those walls around him begin to crumble. He'd been dead inside and now with her blazing eyes and words full of wisdom far beyond her years, he slowly felt himself come back to life. Back to his family. Back to her. Always back to her.

* * *

 **7.) _February 17, 2026_**

He felt a cool breeze drifting through the open air on his balcony as he tried to make sense of the fact that this was it. He thought about everything he had loved about his long hard life. His troublesome family. The friends (however scarce) he'd made. His favorite cities with their beautiful architecture and culture. His daughter. And his Caroline.

As if at the thought of her name, he heard her calming voice that could somehow make light of a situation like this drift through the New Orleans air.

"Don't make me murder you while you contemplate killing yourself."

At first, he thought he'd imagined it. He'd accepted after her not showing up when her daughters transferred the darkness into him that he would never see her again. He'd been gutted to say the least. On the drive back to New Orleans, he'd racked his brain trying to remember every detail about the last thing she'd said to him or the last glance he got of her. He'd wanted it to be perfect. Memorable. So that she'd never forget him.

Slowly he turned around to her voice to find that it was really her. Standing in front of him as if it was the most natural place in the world. Calm and confident. Sassy as hell. Exactly the same as the time he first saw her.

She'd come for him. After all his years waiting for her. He tried desperately to erase the fact that he'd only get to enjoy his achievement for such a short time.

The man who had once had eternity now grasped at every second.

Standing there, looking at her, he finally accepted the reality of the situation. He really was going to die today. But if he had to go, spending his last hours in the presence of the woman who had turned his world upside down was the way to do it.

He had to say his goodbyes. Not only for him, but for her as well. She'd lost so many loved ones in the past few years. He now understood that his death would weigh heavy on her as well. They needed this. Closure. For him to know of what could have been. For her to know that she was the one for him and that she would be okay after this.

He knew his family would wonder where he had gone, but this wasn't about them. It was about him. And all he wanted was to spend this time with the woman who he would have waited a thousand years for. She wasn't his first love. But he knew now… she was his last.

* * *

 **8.) _October 10, 2026_**

He realized quickly that his greatest fear wasn't loneliness. It was the unknown.

Thankfully, once he reached the other side, loneliness and isolation didn't greet him. His old friends and foes had been quite shocked to find him there. But no one was more shocked than he was. The all-powerful immortal Klaus Mikaelson finally found himself exiled from the living.

He wasn't sure if this place was heaven or hell. He saw every moment of his loved ones' lives. Yet, he was forced to remain as a silent observer. It was a blessing and a curse. On the verge of going crazy, he promised himself to only watch on holidays.

Which led him here. One of his favorite holidays.

Her birthday. Today marks 16 years since he saved her life and, without her knowing, she saved his.

He hadn't watched her since a few days after he'd gotten there. Watching her hurt most of all. He couldn't stop thinking of all the opportunities they'd had that were now gone. All the time wasted.

When he found her, he was surprised she wasn't home with her kids. He'd expected her to spend her favorite day by having a simple dinner surrounded by her closest friends and family. But that was the opposite of what he saw.

She was alone. Sitting on a bench. Wind in her beautiful golden hair. Smiling as she watched the boats float along the Seine.

She'd gone to Paris.

He followed her as she traveled to the Lourve. He knew that art was never a passion of hers, but seeing her travel from piece to piece looking for the artist's deeper meaning and motivations, he knew it was because of him.

He'd promised her that the world was full of music, art, and culture that was waiting for her. Seeing her seeking it out and finding herself in a world so much bigger than the bounds of Mystic Falls brought him comfort.

She was special. One of a kind. Yet she had no clue.

He saw in her a fire that burned so brightly that those around her couldn't help but take notice.

He knew then and there that she'd be fine without him. She always was the stable one in this tumultuous relationship.

It was nighttime when she found herself at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Walking over to the edge of the deck away from the other tourists, he watched as she pulled out her phone and dialed a number before putting the phone to her ear. Probably calling her daughters to tell them all about her adventures. The phone rang and rang and rang before finally going to voicemail, yet she didn't look phased.

"Hey Klaus. It's me again."

She called him. Leaving a voicemail that she thought he'd never get to hear. He guessed unreturned voicemails were another one of their 'things'.

"I just wanted to say… you were right. On this day sixteen years ago, you told me that there was a whole world waiting there for me. Great cities, and art, and music," she laughed as she tried to impersonate his accent, "Genuine beauty."

"Well I finally did it. I saw the world. I'm standing here at the top of the Eiffel Tower and for the past few months I haven't been able to get your voice out of my head. So, a week ago, I told Rick that my birthday present was that I was going to take a month and go see the world. He wasn't exactly thrilled, but he got over it. I leave for Rome in a few days. Honestly, this wasn't how I always expected this trip to go. I always pictured that you'd be here with me. Showing me the ins and outs of every city. But I did get a list of tips and tricks from Rebekah. I'm supposed to be meeting her and Marcel in a few weeks in Madrid. We've kept in contact a lot since you left, I think it's been good for both of us."

"I just – I just don't understand how this happened," she admitted before a tear finally slipped from her eye. "You were out of my life for over 10 years. Far longer than you were ever actually in it, I may add. Yet somehow, my life just feels empty without you in it. It's like even though we lived hours apart and hadn't talked in ages, I guess I always felt you there. Knowing that you were waiting. However long it took. And now…"

The silence was deafening as she came to a loss of words.

Then, barely audible among the wind and her whispering voice. "I never told you I loved you."

A sob escaped her lips.

"But I did. God. I hope you know that I did. Deep down. All along. I always loved you. I tried to bury it and hide it and deny it, but everywhere I looked something reminded me of you. And when I finally understood my feelings, you did the one thing that I never thought you would. The one thing that made me love you more than I ever thought possible. You gave it all up. You were selfless and good and the man I'd waited for. The man I knew was buried beneath all that hurt."

"You always saw a part of me that no one else ever did. The part of me that was dark. The part that I loved even though it scared me. You taught me to embrace it. You taught me to see the world in a whole new light. You looked at me the way I always wanted to be seen. I never thanked you for that."

"So, thank you Klaus. Thank you for everything. Maybe I'll see you again someday. However long it takes."

She hung up. Closed her eyes. And smiled. A sad kind of smile. Focusing on her breathing. In. Out. In. Out.

He stood behind her. Tears in his eyes. Invisible. Wanting more than anything to take her in his arms and hold her to make up for all the time they'd wasted.

And in the blink of an eye, he watched as she pulled herself together. Exuding that stunning strength that drew her to him in the first place. She wipped her tears and fixed her windblown hair. Then turned and walked to the nearest exit.

He could have followed. But he didn't.

He let her go. Let her set off to find in herself what he saw every time he looked at her.

* * *

 **+1.) _June 7, 2029_**

She'd been working in New York when she got the call.

"Mom I think you really need to come home now."

"Why honey what's wrong?"

"Well… Me and Liz kinda got dragged in a little bit over our heads and now–"

"Is that her?" another voice piped up in the background. A voice that sounded much like her daughters' closest friend and youngest of the Mikaelson family, Hope.

"Of course, it's her. Now shush" added Lizzie's distant voice in reply to Hope.

"Guys!" Josie replied to get the other two to be quiet. "Sorry mom. I can't explain over the phone. Just please tell me that you can come home."

"I'm getting in the car now."

"Thanks Mom." And with that Josie hung up.

The next six hours in the car were filled with confusion and worry. What on earth had her girls gotten themselves into? And of course, Hope was involved. Wherever that girl went trouble followed. She guessed it ran in the family.

Hours later she finally reached the school. She bolted from the car and through the front door shouting for the girls.

"Josie!? Lizzie!? Hope!?"

Travelling from room to room she realized that the entire building was deserted. A knot formed in her stomach. Then she felt the air in the room shift. She wasn't alone.

"I wouldn't worry, love. I sent them all out for milkshakes at The Grill."

She turned around in a flash and locked eyes with the man leaning against the door frame as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

She was frozen in place.

"It's you" was all she managed to get out of her mouth in a barely audible whisper.

The next thing she knew she was across the room with her arms around his neck as he lifted her off the ground. They held each other so tight that she was surprised they didn't crush each other.

"H – How is this possible? How are you… here? Alive?" she let out as she pulled away from his tight embrace.

"Our daughters are quite a talented team."

"They – they brought you back," escaped her lips as if saying the words would help her to accept that this was really happening.

He pulled her so that they were sitting on the couch. Knees touching. Hands in each other's.

"Lizzie may have mentioned that you've been… different the past three years. Without me. So they had to do something," he said with a laugh.

Caroline rolled her eyes and avoided his gaze. Embarrassed that her own kids saw her weakness for this man.

"I saw you." This sent Caroline's eyes straight back to his. Urging him to continue.

"On your birthday. At the top of the Eiffel Tower. Three years ago. I saw you leave that message for me."

Her lips parted in a smile as she registered the fact that he was watching over her. She always had the feeling that he was.

"I knew you'd come back," she admitted with a glint in her eye.

"How so?" clearly intrigued by her confidence in his ability to overcome death.

"Because you once told me that you intended to be my last love. However long it took…and Klaus Mikaelson always gets what he wants."

There it was. The devilish grin that she loved so much spread slowly across his face. In his eyes was a challenge. It was sink or swim. All or nothing.

She accepted it.

This was her forever. She knew it. And she was done wasting time.

With that she took his face in her hands and kissed him with everything she had. Unlike the last two kisses that they'd shared, this wasn't a goodbye.

It was a welcome home.

* * *

 _A/N) Thanks to all the people who left comments on my last drabble. This is the 2nd fanfic I've ever written and all of your reviews on the last one really inspired me to keep on writing._

 _Also, it took me a week or so to complete this and once I finished I really just wanted to share it with you all, so if you see grammatical or spelling errors, please forgive me lol._


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